Can anyone tell me how to get the sour smell out of my WASHER and DRYER..?

Question

I let a family member use my washer and dryer and now when I dry my clothes it has a sour smell...I really need to get them back to normal. My sister says to run a few cycles with just bleach and that will help but what about the dryer. Any other suggestions for the washer and dryer to help get that sour smell out or am I dooomed...

Answer 1

I had a bad smell in my washer and i ran a full cycle of just white vinegar. It worked right away. As far as the dryer.... i've never had that problem, but maybe soak a wash cloth with vinegar and throw it in the dryer for a little while and see what happens.

Good Luck

Answer 2

I can uderstand the washer being smelly, but the dryer too?  Is it vented properly......is the vent clogged?  As mentioned above, have you wiped out the dryer with baking soda or vinegar?  

Your washer may not be emptying properly and the left over water is getting smelly......still bleach or vinegar should take care of that.

Modern washers are having trouble with bacteria growing on some internal plastic parts and bleach or vinegar doesn't remove the stink.  I hope this isn't your problem.  

If you do have a new washer, read www.smellywasher.com

Answer 3

For both appliances to smell I suspect you're leaving the washed clothes in the washer overnight.  Leaving freshly washed clothes in a washer for more than half a day, especially in summer is going to result in sour smelling clothes for sure.  Or, your detergent may be causing the problem in which case you need to change it.

Washer   -  I would personally sprinkle a whole can of baking soda in the empty bin.  Baking soda is the best natural order remover.  Don't just empty it in the bin, but sprinkle it all over the inside.  Close the door and let it sit for about an hour, then choose a hot program and let it wash.  The soda dilutes in the water and does not leave any film in the machine.  It will sparkle when done. Baking soda also helps eliminate the salt residue and will clean out the water hose.  

We left for 10 days vacation last month.  We forgot some ice cream bowls and a small cooking casserole in the dishwasher.  I came back and almost fainted from the smell when I opened the door.  There was thick green mould inside each item.  I sprinkled half a normal water glass of soda in the machine and put it to wash with the detergent.  No smells or mould left.

Another solution is by getting your self some "non-chlorine bleach" which smells great and cleans great without ruining the machine, or clothes, regardless of their color.

Dryer   - First, check to see if the vent is clear.  I read somewhere that if you spray some Frebreeze on a bunch of newspapers, crumple them up a little bit and throw them into dry, that it works wonders eliminating odors.  

Answer 4

White vinegar is very good at removing odors.  Try some in your washer and wipe the dryer with a rag wet with vinegar.